Murdered Dreams
by Deathangel Katsumi
Summary: Fantasy AU where Serena has a hidden worst fear aside from her occurring nightmares where she almost dies, her dreams claim to have a special meaning where she may meet this fate in the future, how will she save herself from going to that predicted scene in her dream? She now leaves her fate in the palm of a prince of darkness, trickery? Or genuine love? Augustine.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! Its Deathangel Katsumi! ~

I am here with yet another NEW fanfic for Lacewoodshipping! X3 Gosh I love my OTP thus far here . Anyway, this is a little fantasy AU I made up myself~~ So pokemon is never mentioned here apart from the characters, just so it makes sense to what your reading here ^^

I got really into this, so the first chapter is lengthy, Augustine doesn't make a direct appearance, but will do in future chapters.

Summery:

Serena has a hidden worst fear aside from her occurring nightmares where she almost dies, her dreams claim to have a special meaning where she may meet this fate in the future, where she is told dreams can sometimes predict futures without it even happening yet, how will she save herself from going to that predicted scene in her dream? She now leaves her fate in the palm of a prince of darkness, trickery? Or genuine love?

Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a comment on what you liked! I would really like to write further more of this story 3

Chapter 1:

Ashes of a guardian phoenix

There are many things to be afraid of…

But the main one was feared by everyone, even the strong…

Nightmares that invaded even those who did not feel pain or sorrow, it will haunt even them, and they will become the distressed beacons of any hope anyone has left…

What was every ones worst fear?

What is yours?

Who is theirs?

The main story of a nightmare was that it always told some sort of future or happening yet to come, that was what people believed, and there was always someone you were sure to meet in that future, that appeared in the dream, even if the person was a dark shadow, their features unknown until the very day you meet them and the same occurring dream…

Someone who ended up being your murderer in the future to come.

Dreams decided your fate.

Did YOU know that?

Serena did.

_The silver sharpened object pointed at her accordingly to spear her; it gleamed with blood already on the bullet like blade, gleamed like red nail polish, and the evident iron in the blood taken on a dark rich maroon. Her eyes shimmered at her end, what she believed will be the end of her life if the weapon plunged her. The fear finally spread at she searched the attacker, she was in a dim chamber, it warmth was like fire, her heart racing to exhaustion, they bared their teeth, the silver rod harpooned to her as she clenched her eyes shut._

_But it never penetrated her skin; her eyes slowly opened the only thing the covered her vision to the block was a black silky feather floating above her slightly blurred vision, soon followed by the collapse of exhaustion by her already terrible wounds._

_And the silky voice that called her name before she seeped into her own turn of darkness._

Serena, a young blonde hair girl with sapphire eyes opened to a small jolt, the same events of the same dream processing through her mind.

"It's always the same one." She chanted softly her eyes opened before with ease but with clear annoyance and exhaustion as if it had already been dealt with before.

The same dream…

She sighed and sat up, rubbing her eyes with thought, she slid off to the side of her bed to get up, she was only 19, she had a small part time job as a café waitress in a small cute place not far down the road where she loved in the small town from her little cottage where she and her mom lived. She also took the chance to be a part student in working with species care and evolution studies to do with the topic, as hopefully for a better and steady future job.

She stretched and came out of her small but crampt walk in closet to come back out dressed in a fancy but dressed down cute black dark blue and white café waitress dress, it was nothing puffy or frilly apart from the puff frilled sleeves and some tiny patterned trimmings at the end of the skirt part, complete with some white thigh high stockings and a pair of black, 4 white wheeled roller skates. Of course having them in hand to when she makes a move out the door.

In the midst of getting ready, she finally managed to push the thought about the oddly occurring dream and decided to let her best friend in on the updates about that later, her friend Shauna was all into dreams, myths, and witchcraft as a hobby, she would try to tell Serena what her dreams meant on her side of an inexperienced professional dream fortune teller, to put it bluntly, she was no where near a professional standard, but she gave it a go because she cared most about her best friend, thinking at all the dreams meant nothing even in her beliefs for the things she likes doing here, even she herself waved it off and gave her a scientific explanation of the brain.

After tying her hair into a bun with two strands to frame her face, she raced down the stairs to grab a cherry infested pancake to eat, giving a sweet goodbye to her mom, as well as grabbing her purse to race out of the door on her roller skates down the road and beyond to the little corner café of the town.

Not many bustling things happened at this time except people gathering to go to work and shopkeepers opening their shops of goods in the town square. She reached the door to hear the little bell ring when the door opened and knocked the leaver to enchant the sound. There she was welcomed in by her boss; Diantha.

"Morning hun." She smiled before finishing off her hand drawn written menus to put at the counter. "I think these new pastries are going to go quick, and guess who's serving theeem!" She grinned with a sing song voice at Serena who rolled her eyes.

"Me…" She said, voice bored.

"Come on, get your apron on, turn that smile upside down, early customers before work are a treat, not a dilemma, you hear?" She pinched Serena's cheek before walking out the door with her lavish white outfit to sort out her many businesses which included this cute tiny café.

Serena sighed before starting the day with her many co-workers, Jasper, was the cook in some pastry and bread goods, as well as making home made sandwiches and tea. Melanie was working at the till with an identical outfit and Serena's good work friend as well as Jasper.

The bell ringed at the door, signalling a customer, a business man in search for purchasing a coffee to go, Serena made one expertly, and so the day started off to many more coffees, teas and pastries up till lunch time, where Shauna decided to take a visit as she usually does.

"Hey Serena!" Shauna chirped waving her over from the washing up, She dried off quickly and brought her a tea and cinnamon apple pastry as she always did, a favourite of both of theirs, with no charge of course. "Thanks Serena you're the best!" She laughed as she smiled and sat at the table at the now pretty empty café.

"Its just like you always have it, three sugars." Serena said in a happy tone to see her best friend.

"How's your day been?"

"Pretty miserable, and tiring, I don't see how Diantha can work like this and enjoy it to the fullest…"

"Well I would be pretty happy and up my self if I had 5 well selling businesses."

"You got a point." Serena sighed "I had the same dream last night again too, I'm so exhausted." Slumping in her chair of the thought of another sleepless night, Shauna set her tea down in thought.

"Really? That's gonna take a toll on your health if we don't get to the bottom of it."

"I just don't know what it means."

"Well you know I ain't no professional fortune teller, and you know me, I wish I could give you a real good insight, but it still seams like a mystery meeting to me."

"You know too much about this stuff." Serena let a small smile grace her lips at her friend's enthusiasm for the topic.

"Speaking of businesses, there's a little shop down the road and round the corner I walked past this morning, I don't know it even existed until today, it's like it appeared over night."

"A shop?" Serena questioned, her head tipping to the side in interest.

"Yeah, its like a little witch craft store with books and stuff!" Serena sweat dropped. "But we might find something I don't already have for that dream of yours." Shauna finished

"Hey that's not a bad idea." Serena agreed.

"Okay, we will stop by when you finish up here."

"Sure." Serena got up to serve the last customer of her shift and raced home with Shauna to change into her signature red skirt and black blouse and black knee high stockings, hair down with a hat to match, to get down the road to that little shop that was mentioned.

"Well here it is!" Shauna presented dramatically with her hands enthusiatucally, her dark brown bun pigtails bounced comically.

"Seems kind of scary." Serena deadpanned, looking at the little griffin gargoyles on the towns rowed roof and old wood framing and outlining the shop from the neighbours that looked equally old.

"It looks great!" Shauna laughed. "Now come on!" Practically dragging Serena in, looking at all like she wanted to.

They made their way in; the first section at the start of the shop was full of a mini selection of books like the section was taken from the nearby library. Serena looked in awe at the rows of books on the few shelves that was there, all hard bound books, some were even leather bound, with tassel book marks, looking a tad expensive.

Serena spotted a red and gold lined leather bound book, she took it out and read the title; 'Vanquish Spells' She looked around to see various dream catchers and crystal trinkets around the shops obvious goods, some looked beautifully hand made, but for what purpose with so much thought put into them, then immediately put the book back.

"These books aren't surely real?" She said tracing the red spine of the book she picked up.

"I don't know, possibly to satisfy the people with interest with this kind of topic, they are based on something though." Shauna shrugged as she looked like she was having a field day looking at everything the shop had to offer in her interest.

"Like something real?"

"Something like that, this stuff all has a meaning, or a warning." Shauna replied.

"This is all crazy, its hard to believe that something like this could have been real, I don't understand why people still try and do this stuff, it seems like a myth." Serena said trying to understand the odd shop.

"Yeah, myth to the wrong people, people who believe in it, will find its true reality in my saying opinion, it's like ghosts and stuff, you believe in them right?" Shauna perked when she picked up a dark blue book with a silhouette of a black phoenix on the cover.

"Hmmm…" Serena groaned with wide eyes, she stepped back and knocked into something vaguely behind her. She turned around to be met with fear followed by a gasp and a hand clamped down to her mouth to stifle her gasped cry in the quiet shop, before her was glass pots and tanks of shrunken animal heads, most of them seem to be bird shaped heads, some with still had a few dark radiant feathers on. She looked around to see if she didn't grasp too much attention to the scene, but what caught her eye, and boggled her mind mysteriously, was the dark looking man that appeared to be the shop keeper, glaring at her. What got her the most was his stare, his eyes were like vibrant green cat eyes, which scared her, 'they got to be contacts right?' So she thought.

"Hey Serena take a look at this." She whispered urgently to her.

"What?" Serena looked over to see Shauna handling the same book, but open on a page in the middle.

"I think this has something to do with your dreams, It says here 'A dream with a meaning such as having an unknown being interacting, is a sign of future meeting, the re-acuring dream is a future setting or story. These dreams that happen to be nightmares seem to be much more fatal, most underestimate the power of dreams becoming a reality, these types of dreams are called Hex dreams, Hex dreams are what Axel Phoenixes feed off of, they are princes of darkness, and take on the form of a cannibal nightmare dream eater. Many people are vital to be warned by these dreams, as Hex dreams end lives that have them due to their meaning. However, Axel phoenixes are not to be so much feared by They are known by many names, some are discriminated to their doings, but also known as guardians of darkness, they are protectors, this is symbolised by the phoenix tears of curing, and the dream eater is symbolised as the colour of cold darkness and burning a black fire of evil and nightmares. Curing Hex dreams are almost impossible, a Guardian of darkness may increase your chances of protecting one form the future, but Axel phoenixes are known for trickery shall you have one invading the dreams itself.' That sounds pretty interesting…" Shauna brushes off all the bad parts which she read and reassures Serena quietly. "I'm sure your dreams mean less things than in here, I mean you don't exactly die in your dreams."

Serena looks at Shauna terrified "That makes me feel loads better Shauna." She said sarcastically "It always stops before anything bad happens, and I black out, so I don't know if I died or passed out." She said getting back in to the point. "Besides this sounds incredibly like trickery bargin magic, nothing like that actually becomes real? What is it? A book on creatures of myths and legends?" She looks on the page Shauna was reading from, the page had scatters of what looks like hand drawn pictures that have been printed into the book of what the Axel phoenix could look like in a bird form and human form, but only of the face and shadowed silhouettes, then there was an eye, and drawings of beasts eating dreams of young people, and the occasional eating of them, the info consisted of description of the Axel phoenix and directions to next pages on stories to more myths and information on 'cures' and occurring dreams of Hex dreams in particular. "I am officially lost in this; I blame you for filling my head with myths and witchcraft trickery." Serena said rubbing her temples.

"Oh okay, sure, you know maybe it was all those movies you've been watching and your mind is playing tricks in your dreams from a scene you've seen?" Shauna said with a hand on her hip and a smirk. "But look, if it makes you feel any better, not all of this can be true, and maybe your right, not all of it is all real myths and legends, but the truth behind it is the knowledge, and when you understand and pick them out in everyday life, that's when it becomes real to your mind, that's how it works, but certain things you gotta believe in." Shauna smiled. "Come on."

They looked around in the little store some more to find larger dream catchers, trinkets and masks. Though one thing that caught her eye that Serena saw in the corner of her eye was a silver roded spear, then immediately it hit her like Déjà vu, She saw the swirled beautifully crafted forged indents near the end where the more dangerous it was to inflict damage.

It almost looked identical to the one in her dream. 'How strange she thought'…

The moment her fingertip went to make contact with the cold metal, it hit her with an electric shock, hissing at the blistering energy strike, she looked to see if anyone saw if she was loosing her mind, though she found the green eyes man to be gone.

Scared, she went to fetch Shauna to leave this forsaken place.

"Okay okay, we can go just hold on."

When they both left the store, it had begun to get a little late in the autumn evenings.

"Hey Serena! I got you a little something!" Shauna suddenly perked up.

"You didn't have to buy me anything Shauna…" Serena furrowed her eyebrows a little curios to what she had gotten her in that terrible little shop.

"But I wanted to, I saw it and it reminded me of your little trouble, the man who sold it to me at the back of the shop had a really dark tone and an intimidating look and speech, but that didn't stop me from buying it!" Shauna said sounding triumphed at what she achieved. Serena looked at her quizzically then sweat dropped.

"Shauna… usually that means its something bad…" Serena face palmed.

"Just look at it!" Shauna exclaimed handing the little trinket bag to her with draw strings. "It can help you with your nightmares, well at least it I think it will, I've seen stuff like this books, they are quite hard to find especially when you want it to add to a collection of trinkets of my hobby" Shauna smirked, Serena took the bag muttering a thanks as she took it.

When she undid the bag, she pulled out a little bottled vial labelled 'Axel Ashes' with a black rope attached to wear as a necklace. The back of the label on the other side said in small writing 'Hold the ashes close, let the nightmares fade, warning, may be infested with Axel Phoenixes.' Serena's eyebrows furrowed at the reminder of that 'myth' then rolled her eyes.

"Huh? You know…this kind of stuff doesn't usually work Shauna, I hate to break it to you, but unless a miracle happens with these sorts of 'dust potions' then I believe that man made a prophet on your beliefs…" Shauna sighed.

"Just try it, if I know anything on the things I love, aka witchcrafts and dreams then things like this could be a big help, even the little things have some sort of magic and can work in different ways, like those toadstool rings, the myth behind that is 100% real, and even you know that, just little things yeah? Now try wearing it around your neck during the day and put it under your pillow at night okay?" She ushered. Serena finally gave in; if there was a chance to get some sleep in the midst of all this then it couldn't hurt to try.

Or hurt a lot more.

"Okay…"

When Serena made it back home after parting with goodbyes with Shauna, she finally had the evening for relaxation, and maybe even a little bit of sleep. She greeted her mother and ate dinner then headed to get ready for bed with her pink PJs on sitting at the side of her bed, the moonlight begging to be let in from her curtains, the light dimmed in her room for the eye adjusting night. She looked at the little bottle in her hands, wondering with little hope it has that it was true an 'Axel phoenix' could take away her nightmare and possibly stop her from carry on having these occurring nightmares. She closed her eyes and put the bottle underneath her pillow to rest and layed down turning her light off to sleep through this quiet night. What was so bad about Axel phoenixes if there was the conditional good in them? It didn't make sense to her as she drifted off in mind aching questions.

Hours into the night and Serena were fast asleep, tossing slightly to the side. The night was still and dead quiet to the occasional hoots and whistles. If Serena were awake she would notice the seeping of the Axel dust coming out the bottle freely, as if the dream had been sensed in her discomfort. The remnants to this was the solely growing shadow of a man taking form in the moonlit glow of her curtains, with two sprouting feathered wings taking form as well into the silhouette. From this phase, a cool hand brushed over her fore-head, she stirred slightly, and then relaxed a visual relief to her nightmare infested state. As quick as the hand came upon her, the quicker the figure had disappeared completely, upon leaving a single silky black feather…


	2. Chapter 2 : A banquet of feathers

Chapter 2: A banquet of feathers

When Serena woke up the next morning she was met by a tickling sensation on her nose, she twitched and fluttered her eyes open to the offending thing that woke her from her daze of a dreamless sleep.

Wait, dreamless…

She bolted up right in disbelief to the feeling of being well rested and not a single piece of a nightmare evident to last night's memories.

However,

When the little black feather floated in front of her nose from the sudden jolt, her heart almost skipped a beat at the intrusion that was obviously not there before last night.

"What-?" She suddenly remembered about the Axel ashes she stored under her pillow, scrambling to throw her pillow aside, just as she suspected, the ashes that once filled the bottle was now, indeed, gone.

Her eyes widened. "It actually worked…" She picked up the feather now beside her, it was silky, a largish feather, the shape of it looking delicate and its structure glossy and full to touch. She wondered why this strange 'gift' had anything to do with anything here; its strange appearance left her a bit terrified to know,

Was this that once in a life time miracle she said to Shauna yesterday?

Surely this time of witchcraft trickery magic didn't work or much less exist in the 'real' world era they live in now. But she thought back to her occurring dreams, whatever this was, stopped the occurring dream for at least the 12th time, effectively stopping what could have been the 13th, what an unlucky number that would have been…

"I got to go find Shauna…" As realisation suddenly dawned on her that this, certainly could have been real, though she tried to block out that it could have, Just hoping slightly, that this could be a new nightmare.

Scrambling out of bed, she dressed herself in her usual day attire, though with some red shorts instead, she ran out the door on the next day of her day off from any duties to the research and café. She raced out to Shauna's house to knock rapidly on her door.

"Shauna!" Serena yelled desperately.

"Hey, hey! Chill! I'm here, what is it?" Shauna answered to find Serena looking panicked as usual.

"I need to tell you something." Inviting her self in to pull Shauna along with her and wondering her quiet bedroom, she explained to her what happened in full detail.

"Woah woah… So your telling me, that the supposedly ashes I bought you to settle those dreams, disappeared from the bottle while you slept, progressing to a dreamless sleep of no nightmares, then you woke up with this feather lying on your bed?"

Serena nodded repeatedly as Shauna inspected the feather, the empty bottle charm necklace beside her. She watched her as slowly Shauna's face broke out to a grin of fascination.

"Well…"

"Well..?"

"This is incredible!" Shauna exclaimed.

"Wha..?"

Serena sweat dropped in disbelief.

"Well, it worked! It actually worked, do you know how rare that some things like this actually work now? Of course coming from my hobby of witchcraft and dream mentoring, we have ourselves a live mystical presence!"

"You're kidding right..?" Serena winced.

"Oh come on Serena! It worked didn't it!? It means there's an 'Axel phoenix' on your side." She winked.

"Yeah, but most likely unwanted at the same time!" Serene exclaimed in a somewhat anxious tone. "What if one decides to 'infest' in my dreams? I'm dead either way if those dreams become real!" She sighed and slumped herself further on the floor, her back against Shauna's bed.

"But if it helps, it can be good for you, I'm quite interested to how this plays out." Shauna grinned mischievously.

"Am I some kind of test bunny to you!?" Serena exclaimed annoyed, Shauna sweat dropped and raised her hands in defence.

"Hey, well you know me, can't stop me from being curious." Shauna patted Serena's head with her hand which Serena nearly bit off. "Look on the bright side, if you were reading anything in that book, then you would know that these 'Axel phoenixes don't harm you directly, they were called many names, its not like they all had a meaning for nothing, the one 'guardian of darkness' means protect, so where it 'feeds' its going to keep the source close, aka you." Shauna said in matter of fact tone, Serena rolled her eyes.

"Yeah well, we don't even know if this is true."

"I'm only telling you what I know." Shauna giggled "If I was you, I'd go buy the book for guidelines, just in case, this, little dilemma COULD be true." Shauna winked and stood up to grab a near by book off her book shelf. "Now, enough about that, I'm going to teach a thing or two to you about phoenixes." Shauna presented to Serena a red and gold spined book.

"Looks like someone's been doing their research outside the circle." Serena said monotony. Shauna laughed at her friends 'enthusiasm'.

The day went by slightly relaxing other than the almost frightening feather presented out of no where, followed by the disappearing ashes. They both went back to the little creepy shop to buy the book they looked at before.

When they parted with goodbyes, Serena made it home for the evening to read up on some importance just this once. When she got home, greeting her mother, she shut herself in her room to silently read to herself.

It talked about how the Axel phoenixes live up to and gain their name by their doings, as being described as nightmares themselves, it showed how they were like shadows and fed of the darkness and demented thoughts that were around them from where they 'hid' in the shadows. Being described as nightmares also meant that they had the trait of invasion wherever they please, but it also meant that they could only do so if they were feared all the time, if one was not feared so much, there was stories of force fear so the Axel phoenix can have a 'break in' to their minds and dreams to feed their needs. It was like crime scenes to the brain, it even explained that it mainly fed from nightmares because an Axel phoenix purpose was to balance the darkness. Serena's mind was put to a set think that this 'monster' had a balance of good and evil, but such a thing had a purpose to all above.

She moved onto a section on the Guardian part of an Axel phoenixes trait and more behalf of its purpose. It said, when it finds or is 'welcomed' by a host of nightmares, the phoenix chooses this host to feed off of, if these are occurring nightmares their thoughts are to carry on 'serving' in which this meant that this Axel phoenix would use her as being its food source and never leaver her alone, she was to be stuck with the presence for life, they survive on nightmares and depend on the host to produce the dreams, it was simple as to how they survive, though reminded they do this only as to be sent to 'balance' the darkness (if this was really true to the real world) so she thought. But in return they would have to protect the person, of course they are originally said to take away and quell the nightmares, that was what they did, but the bad parts were all left out.

The bad parts, she read closely.

There were many stories on end she took the time to read where on occasions and myths people were devoured by the beasts to 'quell' the nightmares, when the Hex dream (occurring nightmare) became troublesome and alarming, they had to make the decision to end it entirely, it is mentioned that some things are to stay in darkness that they only know of, it's a secret to their laws. Some stories were of greed, they began to feed upon the good dreams that when the Hex dreams came to end, where the phoenixes had done their bit, they are forced to move on to the next which could be years of hunger or die from another consuming darkness of no name. Where this may be the case, the Axel phoenix has been selfish to create nightmares, thus going into and infesting the person's dreams giving them a different state of mind and health.

As she read on, she found a specific piece that told how the Ashes worked for troubled nightmare seekers who was desperate for them to be quelled. When you choose the ashes, there is a phoenix chosen at random, whether you are given one with any kind of attitude that chooses your fate if your lucky. The story was for a phoenix that it dies and it is reborned from the ashes, the ashes the person stores is a piece or present from the darkness to be reborned into the creature to either quell or vanquish. When they are near the dreaming person, they have a special sense to see or hear the Hex dream of the occurring nightmare, chosen and to emerge when they know the target is distressed by it.

Serena thought that if this Axel phoenix were to be real, then it must have sensed the distress and her Hex nightmare through its special senses.

The only thing there is warnings about here is 'Axel phoenix infestation'.

It moved on to what they were really like, it said that they were beings of their word and served a duty, though sometimes they are cold hearted, quick witted and have a natural instinct to fight for survival of their nature.

There were many things in the book she read nearly all night about, it served her mind with many questions, but satisfactory to know about it, what did they really look like? Did they take on a form? If a guardian then it could be keeping a close eye on her.

She looked at the next chapter that titled 'Enemies' Gave a yawn and decided to put it down for the night, this research made her tired and she was happy for once that good or bad, she was at least getting some sleep.

When she thought to dream, she dreamt of nothing.

The more she tossed the more she was quelled, though showered with black gifts, what is to be wrong?

When she awoke, she felt something silky and soft for the second time, now finding three feathers to be put to the pile with the one she had the other night. Thoroughly confused, she didn't even read anything about black feather gifts being left after the nightmares had supposed to be devoured. Some myths they were supposed to be, was this trying to be psychological?

She met up with Shauna later that day to ask her about the views that clotted up her mind, upon finding a small bit of her own research, she said that black phoenix feathers are left as a gift or something in return from the nightmares, it was described as something like a gain and a loss, the feathers from the wings were sacrificed from the desire to live in darkness. They loosed a feather as a sign of some sort of peace treaty between the people, but a phoenix can lie. This was the only thing left and said on the topic, unbelievable of the phoenixes 'little gifts' decided they were certainly unwanted and against to falling in any little traps it had.

The following nights had been troubled, aside from the following nights of no nightmares, she had begun a rather large collection of these feathers, the amount seem to double every night, which she terrifyingly thought that her occurring dying experienced dream was becoming a huge problem or a very bad one to the very least. And Shauna wasn't being too much of help right now.

When another night with a full moon came to rise, Serena had brushed her teeth as usual to get some rest on her body functions.

"I hope I don't wake up to a sea of feathers in my room…" She said exhausted at the thought of her mom wondering what on earth had happened, she didn't think magic and myths would take a liking to her.

Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, here eyes suddenly burst open to the sound of her window creaking and sliding open, a shadowy darkness having the privilege to fill the presence.

Her heart skipped several beats of terror when footsteps made its way over to her.

She could almost feel the presence under her skin.


End file.
